While Kyle Schwarber and Edwin Díaz dominated headlines from MLB’s annual Winter Meetings, they were accompanied by speculation of the Detroit Tigers potentially making a Tarik Skubal trade at some point this offseason.
Skubal’s name has previously surfaced in trade speculation, but the possibility feels more realistic now with the left-hander set to become a free agent after the 2026 season. The back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner would immediately be one of the most coveted players this winter if Detroit follows through with a trade.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, teams were surprised by the Tigers having some openness to a Skubal trade, and the Los Angeles Dodgers have prospects that sparked their interest:
They surprised teams by engaging in serious talks, and were intrigued by the Dodgers’ potential package of prospects, triggering trade rumors.
Upon the Winter Meetings concluding, David Vassegh said on “Dodger Talk” that in a Skubal trade the Tigers would want to receive a return similar to what the Washington Nationals netted from the San Diego Padres for Juan Soto:
“Talking to people in Orlando that were there and are very familiar with what the Tigers are asking for Tarik Skubal, they are asking, for a one-year rental of Tarik Skubal, a package that would rival what the Padres sent to the Nationals for Juan Soto. … From what I understand, the Tigers want something that rivals that.
“The difference is the Tigers are trying to win, and if they trade Tarik Skubal, they’ve got to sell to their fanbase in Detroit, we just traded the best pitcher the Tigers have had since Jack Morris or Justin Verlander, for more than just prospects. And the Dodgers have those type of players to send to Detroit.”
The Padres traded Luke Voit, MacKenzie Gore, C.J. Abrams, Robert Hassell III, James Wood and Jarlin Susana to the Nationals for Soto and Josh Bell at the deadline in 2022. Abrams has gone on to become one of the best young shortstops in baseball, but he and Gore are thought to be available via trade this offseason as well.
One key difference with that trade and Skubal’s immediate future is Soto remained under team control for two additional full seasons. Of course, the Padres ultimately traded him to the New York Yankees in December 2023, and he went on to sign a record-breaking contract with the New York Mets the following offseason.
What would Dodgers need to trade for Tarik Skubal?
Popular names that have surfaced hypothetical Skubal trade scenarios involving the Dodgers are Tyler Glasnow and Emmet Sheehan. They presumably would be the centerpiece of a deal that likely also included at least two of the Dodgers’ top prospects: Josue De Paula, Zyhir Hope, Eduardo Quintero, Alex Freeland or Mike Sirota, among others.
But even if the Tigers and Dodgers could align on players involved, a Skubal trade may hinge on his willingness — or lack thereof — to sign a contract extension, just as Glasnow did when he was traded to the Dodgers.
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